Shelf-Sitter Turkey Craft

Sew just one or a whole flock of this stuffed turkey craft to brighten your Thanksgiving decor!

Materials

Stuffed Tom Turkey Craft

Prop this cheery turkey craft on a shelf to delight children of all ages!

Shelf-Sitter Turkey Craft Patterns

Tracing paper

Pencil

Scissors

100% cotton fabrics - 1/3 yard of tan solid for body and wings, 1/4 yard each or scraps of yellow-gold for legs and beak and
a fall print for tail feathers, torn 1- x 4-inch scrap of homespun check for bow and a 1-1/2-inch square of any coordinating print trimmed with pinking shears

Coordinating 1/2-inch button

Tan all-purpose thread

Felt - 9- x 12-inch piece of off-white and a tiny scrap of red

8-inch square of fusible interfacing

Polyester fiberfill

Plastic doll pellets

Raffia

Black fine-line marker;

Cosmetic blush

Cotton swab

Low-temperature glue gun and glue stick

Standard sewing supplies

Instructions

Cut fabrics as directed on patterns. Mark position of wings on both body pieces.

ASSEMBLY: All stitching is done with right sides together, edges even, tan all-purpose thread, a small straight stitch and a 1/4-inch seam allowance unless instructions say otherwise. Backstitch at the beginning and end of each seam. If desired, stitch each seam a second time for added strength.

Body:

Sew darts on front and back body pieces. Clip and trim darts.

Sew two body pieces together without leaving an opening. Clip curves.

Decide which side is back of turkey. Draw a line down the center of this side, starting 4-1/2 inches from the bottom seam and ending 2-1/2 inches from the same seam. Carefully cut a slit along the marked line through back layer only. Turn body right side out through slit. Press.

Firmly stuff the head and neck with fiberfill. Pour 3/4 cup of plastic doll pellets into the bottom of the turkey. Finish stuffing body with fiberfill. Hand-sew the slit closed. (Slit will be covered with tail feathers later.)

Legs:

Sew both sets of legs together where shown on pattern. Clip curves. Turn right side out. Press.

Firmly stuff each leg, stopping at the stuffing line. Fold in the top 1/4 inch.

Refold tops of legs so seams are centered in front and back. Pin the open end of each leg to the bottom seam of the body between the darts. Hand-sew tops of legs to the seam, stitching legs closed at the same time.

Wings:

Fuse each interfacing wing to the wrong side of a matching tan wing. Sew an unfused wing to each fused wing where shown on pattern. Clip curves. Trim points. Turn right side out. Fold in top 1/4 inch and press.

Hand-sew a running stitch across the top of each wing, closing it as you stitch.

Pull the thread to gather the fabric to a 1-inch width. Wrap the top of the wing around the side of the body, beginning at the X in front and ending at the X in back. Hand-sew in place. Stitch second wing to opposite side of body in the same way.

Tail feathers:

With wrong sides together and edges even, stack the two fall print tail feathers. Slip the matching felt piece in between. Use a running stitch to hand-sew the layers together 1/8 inch from the edge.

Center and glue tail feathers to back of turkey, covering the slit.

Beak:

With the beak folded in half, sew straight edges together where marked on pattern. Trim point. Turn beak right side out. Push out the point.

Firmly stuff beak with fiberfill. Hand-sew a running stitch around the open end, stitching close to the edge. Pull the thread to gather this end over the fiberfill. Pull the thread taut to close the opening. Knot and cut thread.

Glue the gathered end of beak to face where marked on pattern.

Referring to photo for position, glue wattle to side of beak.

FINISHING:

Wrap a long length of raffia several times around three fingers. Slip the loops off your fingers and tie a shorter length of raffia around the middle. Cut loops at each end. Glue to top of turkey’s head.

Tie a knot in center of homespun strip and glue to turkey’s neck.

With black marker, draw eyes and eyebrows on face. Use a cotton swab to apply cosmetic blush to each cheek.

Glue the 1-1/2-inch coordinating square to the front of the turkey where shown in photo. Glue a button to one corner of the square.